I’ve been slacking as a mom the past few months. I used to be pretty good about making sure Chase got out of the house almost everyday. Because of the toll this pregnancy is taking, I’ve been horrible about making sure he gets some “out-of-house” time. Friday, I finally got my head out of my butt, got dressed, and went to the park with Chase. He had missed the park so much! He instantly bolted for the playground and started running around. Crawling through tunnels, sliding down the slides, trying to eat the woodchips. He had a blast. There was one problem… which I didn’t think would be a problem. There was nothing but girls at the park. All screaming and meowing and running like their lives depended on it. He was quite taken aback by the commotion, and spent a good chunk of time hiding in a tube watching them from a peep-hole. Things started getting better when he found a quiet little girl by the name of Emma. She had just turned one, and was pretty content staying away from all the action of her older sisters. He decided she would be a safe bet on making a new friend. And boy did he. She took one look at him, walked over, and gave him a giant bear hug. Then things went south. She reached for his binky. Oh! It was on! In an instant he went from, “She’s cool and cute. I’ll play with her,” to “Get her away! She’s evil and mean and a thief!” He bolted. Unfortunately, she failed to receive the hint and promptly went after him. He would climb up onto the highest platform of the playground, and she was right on his heels. He’d crawl through a tube, she scampered right after him. And his face said it all…

So much no... Needless to say, I was no help. I found the entire thing so cute and hysterical, that I just stood there laughing with Emma’s mom and grandma. I just couldn’t believe that my son, the biggest flirt I’ve met, was rejecting an adorable little girl over a binky! I also loved that Emma refused to acknowledge his now apparent distaste for her. It wasn’t until after we got home and Chase was down for a nap that I got to thinking about the entire scenario and how I had just stumbled upon another life lesson/trait I wanted to instill into my son.

This little girl loved Chase. And at first, Chase loved her. It was young love, in it’s purest form. It wasn’t based on human size, color, hair length, personality, or even gender. It was based on, “You are a person. I love you” And Chase’s affection towards this little girl wasn’t deterred by anything more simple than, “Hey. That’s my binky. Don’t touch.” It was simple, uncomplicated, no fuss (except for the running away from Emma part) that caused that “love” to dissipate. But still, the plainness of love in those first moments astounded me. It made me smile. It made me think.

What if all love was like this? What if all love was based not on gender, personality, hair color, height, sexual orientation, education, where you lived, what you drive, and purely on, “You’re a person. I love you.” I look around the world today and I’m saddened by all the negativity you find. It’s everywhere! People fighting over what you can smoke behind closed doors, what you can say into a microphone, and even who you can love. It’s entirely possible that cute little Emma could grow up to be a wife and mother of three gorgeous children, work in a corporate office, and have a white picket fence, all with a woman by her side. She could also grow up, not finish high school, work three jobs, and have a husband who beats her every night after drinking until 2 am. Which way is right? Which way is wrong? Which version of Emma deserves more or less love in her life? Both versions deserve the same amount and same unconditional love in their life. And what about Chase? He could grow up to be an NFL quarterback, have more money that humanly necessary, but be a drug addict. He could also grow up to be a college drop-out, live in a crappy apartment, not a dime to his name, and struggle everyday to make ends meet. Which Chase needs more or deserves more love? Neither! Again, both scenarios deserve the same unconditional love. This is what I hope to teach my son… Everyone deserves love. Everyone deserves unconditional, no strings attached love. Don’t base it on skin color, where they came from, education, what job they have, what religion they practice, what sports team the root for, their sexual orientation, the way they talk, anything. You should love someone because they are a human being. You don’t have to agree with anything they do, but that doesn’t mean you don’t love them, or tell them they are wrong, or throw how much better you think you are than them. Because you aren’t. No one is better than anyone else. We all fight demons within ourselves and in the world. We all struggle with a plethora of things. That doesn’t mean you stop loving someone or choose not to love. I can only hope I can help Chase keep this “pure love” in his life for his entire life. I truly believe that if he keeps that in mind and in heart, I will have succeeded as a mother, no matter where he goes in life.

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Maniac Mom

My name is Kristen and I suffer from Borderline Personality Disorder. This is my hysterical journey as a mom of two dealing with life twists and turns while trying to not let my "crazy" get too out of hand. I strive to be a happily depressed mom.Grab a cup of coffee or a shot of vodka and bask in the mania!